Soup Time

Potato Soup

Nothing is more comforting after a long, cold day than a bowl of homemade soup.  No one has to settle for a can of prepared soup tossed into the microwave, then nuked for a couple of minutes, when the soup-making process is easy-peasy.  I love Potato Soup and recently I came home from work, rather disgruntled from the chilly, windy weather and nothing else would do for dinner other than a pot of creamy lusciousness in the form of Potato Soup.  It's also my son's favorite thing when he's sick.  He just wants a bowl of "mama's potato soup".  It's comfort in a bowl. 

4 or 5 small to medium potatoes
Chicken stock
2 tablespoons butter
Drizzle of olive oil
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Milk
3 or 4 whole green onions (sliced thinly)
1-2 ounces creamy Havarti cheese (grated)
Black pepper
Salt


Peel and cut the potatoes into bite-sized chunks.  Rinse to remove any starch and place in a pot.  Cover the potatoes with chicken stock.  Hint: You can use homemade stock if you have it, but for convenience sake I use the boxed type; it's quite good. Cook the potatoes on medium (simmer) until fork tender, but not falling apart; you want them to retain their shape.  Pour the potatoes and stock into a colander fitted over a bowl to reserve the stock for later use.  Add the butter and olive oil to the pot and melt.  Sprinkle in the flour and stir to make a roux.  Cook for only seconds until the rawness of the flour is gone and add about 1/2 of the stock from the potatoes back to pot and stir to mix well.  Add as much milk as stock and adjust the consistency by alternating stock and milk.  When it reaches a thin consistency add the potatoes back to the pot and stir.  Add the green onion and grated cheese.  Hint: You may use any cheese you like that melts well.  Allow the cheese to melt while gently stirring. Cook until thickened slightly.  Scatter over the top, a bit of black pepper and adjust the salt to your taste.  Serve in bowls with your favorite cracker along side.